Stuart Anderson, South Shropshire’s Conservatives Parliamentary Candidate, was delighted to welcome the Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries, Mark Spencer MP, to Shropshire, on Thursday 15th February 2024. They were joined by Craig Williams, the MP for Montgomeryshire, and Lizzie Hacking, Chairman of the Conservative Rural Forum, for a panel event with residents.
The event took place at a packed Clun Memorial Hall. A range of questions were asked about the future of the countryside, agriculture, fisheries, and food. Questions also centred on the support available for local farmers and how the Government intends to deliver on its commitment to continue producing at least 60% of the food that we consume in the UK. The Minister also spoke about government investment to support the sector, which totals £2.4 billion a year to help farmers produce food profitably and sustainably while protecting the natural environment. The Minister added that the new schemes offer something for every type of farm, and that a crucial part of their development has been to listen to farmers’ feedback. Stuart said that he will be promoting the support on his website.
Stuart added that he will continue to listen to and support farmers in his role as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate and, if elected, Member of Parliament for South Shropshire. He has made helping our farmers a key part of his campaign and is pleased to support the Conservative Rural Forum, which has been set up to better champion rural communities in the UK, as part of this. He added that he has been pleased to meet lots of farmers as he campaigns to be elected as the MP for South Shropshire and hopes to meet more.
Stuart Anderson said: “I was delighted to invite Farming Minister Mark Spencer MP and Montgomeryshire MP Craig Williams to Shropshire together with Lizzie Hacking from the Conservative Rural Forum for a rural Q&A. Supporting farming communities is a key part of my campaign and I am delighted that the Minister got to hear directly from local residents including farmers in Shropshire about what more the Government could do to support rural areas like ours. I am encouraged by the Minister’s commitment to places like Shropshire and the farming sector as a whole, building on the annual investment of £2.4 billion through a range of schemes for farmers and others. If elected, I will continue to champion these communities at the very highest levels.”
Farming Minister Mark Spencer said: “I’d like to thank Stuart for his invitation to visit South Shropshire together with Craig Williams, the MP for Montgomeryshire, and Lizzie Hacking, Chairman of the Conservative Rural Forum. Farmers across the country are keeping the nation fed while delivering fantastic outcomes for the environment. We will continue to support them to do so through our £2.4 billion of annual investment. It was excellent to receive feedback from residents including farmers in Shropshire. I will continue to do all that I can to support and work closely with them to take on board their feedback to ensure that our schemes work in the best possible way so farmers can run profitable and sustainable businesses into the future.”
